The Longest & Shortest Courses on the PGA Tour

It would be easy to think of a golf course in relatively straightforward terms: a large area of greenery with 18 holes organised onto it. The reality is that golf courses differ wildly from one another, not only thanks to the natural surroundings of the course but also on account of the manner in which the course is laid out by the designers. Even if every single course was built on identical land, the way that the designers will have protected the greens with bunkers, organised the order of the holes and structured the undulation of the greens would differ between each one.

Of course, not every golf course is built on the same patch of land, which is why the differ so much from one another. One of the biggest differences between the courses is the length of them, with the holes being designed to fit into the space available to the designers. It means that some of the courses can be relatively short, whilst others will be incredibly long. How the golfers take on the courses will depend on their own skill levels, with big-hitters obviously inclined to prefer the longer holes and those that tend to plot their way around the course will always prefer the shorter ones.

The Longest Courses on the PGA Tour

We will start by taking a look at the longest courses on the PGA Tour, based on the length of the entire course. There will obviously be some shorter holes on each course as well as some longer ones, so we’re looking at the overall yardage when all 18 holes are added together. For the avoidance of any doubt, we’ve decided to specifically look at 38 the courses used for the 2021-2022 season.

Longest Courses on the 2021-22 PGA Tour

We now know the length of the various golf clubs that are the ten longest used for the PGA Tour in the 2021-2022 season, but it is worth taking a closer look at each of them to get a sense of how the course made its way onto the PGA Tour in the first place. It might also give us a sense of why they are so long, presenting a challenge to the golfers not just because of their layout but also because their length requires players to hit long but also accurate shots.

Torrey Pines (South Course), California, USA – 7765 Yards

Sitting atop coastal bluffs to the north of San Diego, there is a sold argument that Torrey Pines is one of the most visually attractive courses on the PGA Tour. It is also the longest, coming it at just shy of 300 yards longer than the 10th longest course. The South Course was remodelled by Rees Jones in the early 2000s, making it competitive enough to be chosen as the host for the 2008 US Open. It was also given another spruce up by Jones ahead of hosting the same tournament in 2021, with the re-design bringing some of the canyons into play.

Corales Golf Course, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – 7670 Yards

Designed by Tom Fazio, the Corales Golf Course at the Puntacana Resort and Club only opened in 2010. Six of its holes run alongside the ocean, whilst the 18th is breathtaking in its scope. The fairways are based around a residential development, with hazards all over the place designed to challenge even the best golfers. It has been used as part of the PGA Tour since 2018, having previously been on the WEB.com Tour, so it is still relatively young. Part of its challenge comes in the form of the length of it, though, being the second-longest course played on the PGA Tour in the 2021-2022 season.

Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, USA – 7596 Yards

Take a look at the course on which the longest drives are hit and most of them will be at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. It is the opening event of the PGA Tour each season and its location on the north shore of Maui in Hawaii means that golfer love to play it. It was built on open former pineapple fields on the slow of a volcano, so there was plenty of space to play with. The slopes of the course contribute to the ability of the players to hit massive shots and also help to explain why it’s quite as long as it is, having been built on a huge scale to allow for the wind.

Southern Hills Country Club, Oklahoma, USA – 7556 Yards

The club itself was established in 1935 using land that had been donated by multimillionaire Waite Phillips. It was originally designed by Perry Maxwell, who used the land he had available to him to build a course that was long and challenging. In 1999, Maxwell oversaw the redesign of the course by Keith Foster. The course has been used for both the US Open and the PGA Championship on numerous occasions, showing that it has very much earned its place on the Tour, challenging the golfers thanks to the combination of its length and the protections afforded to the greens.

Wilmington Country Club, Delaware, USA – 7534 Yards

Wilmington itself has a total area of 17 square miles, so the fact that the golf course takes up 7,534 yards is not to be sniffed at. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones and the South course opened in 1960. There is also a North course here, but that is shorter and was designed by Dick Wilson. Alongside the overall length of the course, one of its chief characteristic is the heavily bunkered fairways, offering the greens some decent protection. Those greens tend to be multi-tiered, meaning that even if you hit it long enough to make it onto one you’re still not safe.

Muirfield Village Golf Club, Ohio, USA – 7533 Yards

The name of the golf club might suggest that it is a gentle place on the outskirts of a village but you shouldn’t be fooled. It was designed (and re-designed) by Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer ever to hit a ball, back in 1974. His most recent renovation of it came in 2020, when every hole was re-built. He worked hard to ensure that members would still enjoy playing it, but the pros have to contend with not only the length of the holes but also the challenges that Nicklaus laid out for them. If anyone ever were to know about how to challenge golfers then it surely the best of the lot.

Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA – 7510 Yards

Arguably the most famous golf course in North America, Augusta National is the home of the Masters every year. It has always been a long course, hence its place on this list, but it is even longer thanks to a recent change that saw the pay five 13th hole lengthened by around 30 yards. It is a course that is constantly being tinkered with, which is part of the reason why it remains one of the best around. Names like Bobby Jones, Perry Maxwell, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio have all had a hand in making it the course it is nowadays, which is a long and challenging one.

Grand Reserve Golf Club, Puerto Rico – 7506 Yards

There are two courses at Grand Reserve Country Club, which is located near to the Rio Grande in Puerto Rico. The first course opened in 2004, with the second coming along two years later. It was extensively renovated in 2019, making use of the elevation changes to add length and playing difficulty to it. The views of the ocean are spectacular, whilst the bunkers are among the best on the island. That is part of what appeals to the PGA Tour, hosting the Puerto Rico Open at the course, although the length of it will also not have gone unnoticed in terms of challenge offered.

TPC Craig Ranch, Texas, USA – 7468 Yards

Located in McKinney, one of the suburbs of Dallas, TPC Craig Ranch was designed by Tom Weiskopf. It plays out amongst the rolling hills and limestone banks that are present at Rowlett Creek, helping to explain why it is quite as long as it is. In spite of its length, it actually saw quite low scoring rounds when it hosted the AT&T Byron Nelson in each of 2021, 2022 and 2023. Rowlett Creek crosses the course as many as 14 times, adding length all on its own. It is considered to be the best course in its state, with big hitters loving playing it.

Bay Hill Club & Lodge Florida, USA – 7466 Yards

The ‘shortest’ course on the list of the top ten longest courses, Bay Hill Club & Lodge was Arnold Palmer’s home course for more than 45 years. It is a hilly course, which is unusual for Florida but helps to add length to the play, with sinkholes and ponds dotted around the place to add to the challenge. There are numerous holes on offer that are reminiscent of other holes at different golf courses, which might be a coincidence or might be something of an homage. One thing we do know is that this is a course that will test even the biggest hitters on the Tour.

The Shortest Courses on the PGA Tour

Having taken a closer look at the courses on the PGA Tour that boast the longest yardages, it is now time to find out which ones are the shortest. Again, the actual holes will vary in length and there will be some that are longer than the others, but this is based on the overall length of the courses in 2021-2022.

Shortest Courses on the 2021-22 PGA Tour

As with the longest courses, it makes sense to take a look at the shortest ones in a bit more detail. Is there anything about them that explains why they’re so much shorter than their longer cousins? There is a 400 yard difference between the longest short course and the shortest long one, which is the equivalent of an entire hole, whilst the difference between the longest course and the shortest one is a whopping 937 yards.

Port Royal Golf Course Bermuda – 6828 Yards

Bermuda as an island is only around 20 miles long from one tip to the other, so the fact that it has a number of golf clubs on offer to visitors is impressive. That one of them is on the PGA Tour might well be more to do the golfers having a lovely holiday than anything else, but the presence of Port Royal Golf Course on this list makes more sense when you consider the island it is built on. It is actually a public course, being one of the best in the world on that front. You shouldn’t mistake that for it being an easy course to play, though, as it is far from a simple one to get round.

TPC River Highlands, Connecticut, USA – 6852 Yards

TPC River Highlands has been hosting the Travelers Championship since 1984, which was when Pete Dye re-designed nine holes. Five years later and one of his assistants returned in order to renovate what was left and add holes too. It has continued to be renovated ever since, with bunkers overhauled as recently as 2016. Arguably one of the best courses in Connecticut, the front nine is pleasant enough, but it is on the back nine where things really heat up and challenge players. It isn’t one for the big-hitters to celebrate, with plotting carefully the key to success.

Monterey Peninsula Country Club, California, USA – 6957 Yards

The Shore Course of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s golfing complex was invited back onto the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am circuit, having previously been used in 1965, 1966 and 1977. It was Bing Crosby who created the Pro-Am and it has been a staple of the PGA Tour ever since. The fact that it sees both professionals and amateurs play it helps to explain why it is that relatively short courses are used as the venues for the competition. Originally re-designed by Bruce Harris in 1962, Mike Stranz took on the job of improving things further in 2003.

Pebble Beach Golf Links, California, USA – 6972 Yards

If Augusta National isn’t the most famous golf course in North America then Pebble Beach might well be the one that steals its crown. It is a meeting of land and sea that sees nine holes perched right above the Pacific. It has been the home of numerous US Opens, in spite of how short it is, which perhaps tells you something about the difficulty of the course. There have been re-designs aplenty over the years, but the three holes six, seven and eight are what should really be called ‘amen corner’. One of them involves a shot over a cove from 75-foot up.

Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course), Georgia, USA – 7005 Yards

H.S. Colt, the British golf course designer, is credited with coming up with the Seaside course at Sea Island, even though it was arguably his partner, Charles Alison, who did most of the work on it. Of course, in recent years it has been re-designed so much, mostly by Tom Fazio, that it isn’t his either. It is known for its impressive clamshell bunkers, putting surfaces that are smaller than normal and sand dunes that sit exposed to the elements. Its short length might suggest a course that’s relatively easy to play, but it’s presence on the PGA Tour suggests otherwise.

St. George’s Golf & Country Club, Ontario, Canada – 7014 Yards

The occasional home of the Candian Open, St. George’s Golf & Country Club was opened by Robert Home Smith in 1909 with the golf course itself opening 20 years later. It might be relatively short for the pros, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it is an easy course to play. It has regularly been rated as one of the best golf course in Canada and amongst the top 100 courses anywhere in the world. It has actually been extended in length in recent times, largely in order to try to attract the Canadian Open to it more often. It plays as a par 71 when not used for the Canadian Open.

El Camaleón Golf Course, Playa del Carmen, Mexico – 7017 Yards

El Camaleón Golf Club is designed to be like the chameleon after which it is named, with two nine-hole loops that twist and turn through a landscape that appears to be forever changing. That is thanks to the mangrove forest and tropical jungle that surrounds it, boosted by some man-made lagoons and canals present throughout the course. It was laid out by the design company fronted by Greg Norman, which is why it was one of the LIV Golf courses for a time. The design of the course allows it to go right to the edge of the sea, with a pair of enticing par threes taking you there.

Spyglass Hill Golf Course, California, USA – 7041 Yards

Another of the courses used for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spyglass Hill Golf Course is considered to be one of the best public golf courses in the United States of America. It was first designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior, opening in 1966 after six years of planning and construction. The opening five holes provide views of the Pacific Ocean, whilst the rest of the course makes its way through the Del Monte forest. It was originally called Pebble Beach Pines Golf Club, but was renamed to Spyglass Hill after the location in the novel Treasure Island.

Waialae Country Club Hawaii, USA – 7044 Yards

The only course designed by Seth Raynor that remains on the PGA Tour rotation since the The Greenbrier’s Old White Course was dropped, Waialae Country Club isn’t the course that it was when Raynor opening it but many of the elements of his course are still there. There is plenty to like about the golf you’ll play here, even though it is the tenth shortest course that the pros will play during the season. The most iconic aspects are the Ws that can be found in the trees on the 16th, but those that love a bit of architecture will appreciate the Redan green on the 17th.

Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Chiba, Japan – 7079 Yards

The Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club was first added to the PGA Tour in 2018, taking the Tour to Japan. Whilst that was the first time the PGA Tour went to the country, the course itself has hosted some big tournaments over the years. As is common for Japanese golf courses, there are two greens on every hole. It has witnessed some of golf’s best players on its fairways over the years, with the likes of Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros having won events here. The 2018 Zoo Championship was won by Tiger Woods, adding his name to the list of big name players to have enjoyed success on the course.

Other Noteworthy Courses

Whilst not necessarily PGA Tour venues, there are two courses that are worth mentioning simply on account of the fact that they are at either end of the spectrum for golf courses in America. One is the longest in the country, whilst the other is one of the shortest.

RainDance National Resort & Golf

There is something quite amusing about the fact that the longest course in the United States of America was designed by one of the PGA Tour’s shortest-hitting golfers. Situated in Colorado’s scenic front range, it measures 8,463 yards when all of the holes are added together. That makes it the third-longest in the world, with two of the par 5s on the course measuring more than 700 yards apiece. It was created by Fred Funk, who won 29 tournaments during his time in the PGA and Champions Tour. He worked with Harrison Minchew from Arnold Palmer Design.

The pair built the course on land owned by Colorado land developer Martin Lind, who was also a generational farmer. It was designed with the aim of welcoming professional tournaments, but that doesn’t mean that more casual golfers should be put off by its length. Whilst most will almost certainly want to use a buggy to get around, it is so elevated as to meant that the ball will usually travel between 15 and 20 percent further than on a lower course. It is also designed to be fast and firm, meaning that you’re going to see your ball travel further even once it’s landed.

Top of the Rock Golf Course at Big Cedar Lodge

With the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake as a background, Top of the Rock at Big Cedar Lodge is a beautiful course to play. It is also one of the shortest in the the United States of America, which is why it is only a par three course. You might think that that means that it isn’t worth playing, but it was designed by Jack Nicklaus and he is someone who knows what it takes to make a decent course. In fact, such is the level of the course on offer that it was the first entirely par three course to be included in a professional championship, even though it only has nine holes.

The combination of it being just nine holes and all par threes obviously helps to contribute to the short nature of the course, but don’t think you’ll be rocking up and conquering it with ease. There are bunkers aplenty protecting the greens, whilst some of them promise water obstacles that will catch even the best player out from time to time. Add in the fact that it is a tight course that demands discipline and you can see why so many people have it on their bucket list of places to play before they decide to pack their golf clubs away in the garage for one last time.